This golden autumn is filled with a "tech vibe." On September 25, the third Global Digital Trade Expo—the only national-level exhibition themed on digital trade—took place in Hangzhou, where the world joined hands to attend the "appointment with the future" presented by digital opportunities.

During the Expo, the MUSICACOUTICA-HANGZHOU 2024, jointly hosted by Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, was a highlight of the event, opening on the evening of September 24. Artistic performances, academic seminars, and exhibition displays at the Expo complemented each other, forming a chain of charming notes representing the forefront. They collectively demonstrated the unique charm of "art + technology" and created a magnificent symphony of splendid and vibrant futures.

The Expo's "literary and artistic atmosphere" drew attention.

In Halls 2 and 8 of the Hangzhou International Expo Center, Zhejiang Conservatory of Music presented two major sections: the "Digital-Driven Musical Instrument Exhibition" and the "Digital Music Special Exhibition." These featured interactive musical equipment from the Music Engineering Department and the Key Laboratory of Intelligent Processing Technology for Digital Music Ministry of Culture and Tourism, as well as the immersive audio-visual interactive exhibition "Shadow Artistry." These attractions drew the attention of numerous guests and visitors, becoming the "most culturally literate and humanistic" part of the Expo.

Entering Hall 8, one could see the highly interactive "Virtual Museum of Traditional Chinese Music and Instruments." Using mixed reality technology, the museum virtually modeled opera face paints and Chinese national drums. Combined with spatial feature recognition and targeting technology, it allowed visitors to not only appreciate artifacts up closely and immersively but also personally play historical echoes that transcend time and space.

In the exhibition hall, a piano played by no one drew visitors' attention. With a musical score input, the piano keys danced as if an invisible pianist was playing on the spot, and melodious music flowed out, attracting many visitors to sing spontaneously. This was a cross-border piano intelligent music accompaniment system jointly developed by Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and Yamaha Music & Electroacoustics (China) Co., Ltd., which could solve the problem of lack of accompaniment in music learning, performance, and entertainment scenarios. Additionally, Zhejiang Conservatory of Music teachers and students brought multiple exhibits such as a large model for symbolic music generation, original digital music displays, and a digital music trading platform, with a wide range of application scenarios.

Also located in Hall 8, the immersive audio-visual interactive exhibition "Shadow Artistry" was the first to use a virtual reality engine to drive spatial projection technology. It simultaneously adopted new spatial audio intelligent processing technology and real-time interactive devices for sight, hearing, and touch, making Chinese paintings from various dynasties "come alive" in sound, light, and shadow, leading visitors into a picture-perfect space filled with traditional Chinese style.

In Hall 2, visitors experienced homemade data-driven instruments equipped with wireless sensor technology, such as "Simonta," the audio-visual interactive installation "Zhengming" created with Peking Opera percussion and face paint as materials, and "Misheng," a 3D rope sensor for manipulating data-driven instruments.

On the evening of September 28, the finals of the AI Song Creation & AI Piano Competition were held in Hall 1, showcasing AI's new attempts in music creation and piano performance evaluation for the first time, representing the forefront of AI and art integration globally. As the world's first piano competition fully integrating advanced AI technology, the 2024 Inaugural International AI Piano Competition saw finalists from around the world present their works via "remote pianos" on site, and "digital humans" also appeared as judges, scoring alongside real-life judges. Let us eagerly anticipate...

The music festival and "brainstorming" inspired the future.

Nine electroacoustic music concerts, six international masterclasses, six workshops for emerging musicians, five international electroacoustic music composition competitions, and one annual themed forum. With the theme of "Rushing Towards the Future," this music festival gathered domestic and foreign experts and scholars, focusing on the forefront of international electroacoustic music development and bringing a series of wonderful activities.

On the evening of the 24th, the opening concert of the MUSICACOUTICA-HANGZHOU 2024 was held at the school's concert hall. Cutting-edge electroacoustic music works such as audio-video real-time interactive music, auditory illusion electroacoustic music, and AI interactive music performances presented a whimsical imagination about future music to the live audience. The school will also host competitions for auditory illusion, hybrid, multimedia, and comprehensive application works, basically covering all categories of electroacoustic music.

While showcasing dazzling achievements from around the world, the MUSICACOUTICA-HANGZHOU 2024 also bridged the integration chain of industry-academia-research in digital music. The event gathered top masters from the global electroacoustic music field and, through masterclasses, workshops, themed forums, and other forms, initiated a "brainstorming" of the integration of technology and art, as well as traditional and innovative ideas. It provided strong theoretical support and directional guidance for exploring the long-term and orderly development of music technology.

Every spark of wisdom is the prologue to a dream. The general trend is approaching, and the future is here. Let us listen intently as art and technology are intertwined in harmony...